Prenylation Mechanisms and Developmental Function

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Dr. Mark Paul RunningNSF Proposal Number IOS-0744895Title: Prenylation Mechanisms and Developmental FunctionAbstract Higher animals and plants are made up of a multitude of cells, all of which are specialized to carry out particular functions. Each cell must be organized properly; for instance, proteins must be located in the correct part of the cell. Mislocalization of proteins in cells can have myriad consequences, including development of cancer and other diseases. One method animals and plants use to direct proteins to specific places in the cell is the attachment of a fat (lipid) molecule, which changes the chemical properties of the protein and often leads to the association of this protein to the periphery (outer rim) of the cell. This project aims to increase our understanding of the processes by which proteins become modified by lipids, and how this modification affects the function and localization of these proteins. These studies have potential implications for treatment of cancer, Hutchinson-Gilford progeria, Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, and choroideremia in humans, and conferring drought tolerance and disease resistance in plants. Plants are used as a model for these studies, due to the survivability of plants with major defects in lipid modifications and their ease of use in the laboratory. This project includes participation by, and training for, members of groups that are underrepresented in science, who were successfully recruited in outreach efforts across the country. This project also forms the basis of curriculum development for local high school science courses and will be integrated into a display at the Saint Louis Science Center for educational outreach.